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CC - Item III.C - Approving Ordinance 801- Box 0656 7!" TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL FROM: FRANK G. TRIPEPI, CITY MANAGEi zz DATE: JANUARY 25, 2000 RE: ORDINANCE NO. 801 REGULATING STUDENT LOADING & UNLOADING At the beginning of the school year, the City Council instructed staff to redouble efforts to improve traffic and student safety enforcement near school sites. Specific actions included Sheriff's Department personnel focusing on traffic violations and city parking control teams concentrating on parking enforcement. Some of the most troublesome examples of unsafe practices reported by Sheriff, city, and school site personnel remain the loading and unloading of pupils from private vehicles. To address this problem, the Sheriff's Department recommended the City adopt an amendment to the municipal code regulating the loading and unloading of children in school zones. This will permit traffic officers to more aggressively target this unsafe practice and promote improved student and traffic safety. At the direction of City Council, the proposed ordinance was reviewed with school district executives and school site management personnel. Their input and Sheriff's Department recommended changes have been incorporated into the ordinance. Further, the draft ordinance was presented to the Traffic Commission at their regularly scheduled January 6`h meeting for review, consideration and recommended action to the City Council. The Traffic Commission voted unanimously to recommend City Council approval of the ordinance. l COUNCIL. AGENDA JAN 2 5 2000 ITEN4 rho. C . RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council introduce Ordinance No. 801 on first reading and schedule for second reading at February 8, 2000 City Council meeting, regarding addition of a new section to the Municipal Code establishing regulations for the loading and unloading of student passengers. ORDINANCE NO. 801 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD ESTABLISHING REGULATIONS FOR THE LOADING AND UNLOADING OF STUDENT PASSENGERS IN SCHOOL ZONES THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. New section 10.04.060 is hereby added to the Rosemead Municipal Code to read as follows: 10.04.060. LOADING AND UNLOADING OF STUDENT PASSENGERS IN SCHOOL ZONES. (a) No operator of a motor vehicle shall stop or park to load or unload students, in a school zone, where such loading or unloading is in a location which would cause the student, while unattended by an adult, to walk upon the street or highway or to cross the street or highway out of a marked crosswalk or controlled intersection. (b) No operator of a motor vehicle shall load or unload any student; within a school zone, in any intersection, private driveway or street traffic lane. (c) As used in this section "student" means any child, seventeen (17) years of age or younger, who attends any public or private elementary, middle or senior high school. (d) As used in this section "school zone" means an area, during the time students are present, adjacent to any public or private school building or the grounds thereof, contiguous to a street or highway and posted with a standard "School' warning sign. (e) As used in this section "unattended by an adult" means to be without the continuous, direct, and immediate supervision of an adult within one arm's length in distance from the student, while upon the street or highway. A student is unattended by an adult if the adult is seated within a vehicle while the student is outside of the vehicle. (f) Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply when the operator is directed to stop or park and load or unload students by a peace officer. SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and cause the same to processed in accordance with state law. PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this day of February, 2000. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk 2 ROSEMEAD TRAFFIC COMMISSION January 6, 2000 ORDINANCE REGULATING STUDENT LOADING AND UNLOADING Deputy Traffic Engineer Itagaki stated that at the direction of City Council, staff is bringing this draft ordinance to the Traffic Commission for review, consideration and return with a recommended action to the City Council. Beginning with the new school year, the City has redoubled efforts to improve traffic and student safety enforcement near school sites. Sheriff's Department personnel continue to focus on traffic violations while supplementing city parking control teams with parking enforcement. Some of the most troublesome examples of unsafe practices reported by Sheriff, city, school site personnel and residents are the loading and unloading of pupils from private vehicles. Children crossing streets unattended without a crosswalk or signal, and darting out from behind parked or double-parked vehicles is of particular concern. Other cities report similar unsafe practices. Efforts to address this unsafe condition are hampered by lack of a specific vehicle code reference against which to cite. The Sheriff's Department recommended the City adopt an amendment to the municipal code regulating the loading and unloading of children in school zones. This will allow traffic officers to more aggressively enforce this unsafe practice. The City Attorney has prepared an ordinance regulating loading and unloading of students for consideration. The proposed ordinance was reviewed with school district executives and school site management personnel. Their input and Sheriff's Department recommended changes have been incorporated into the ordinance. Our goal is to promote improved student and traffic safety, and provide the Sheriffs Department specific enforcement authority to cite violators who endanger students and other motorists. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Traffic Commission review the draft ordinance regarding addition of a new section to the Municipal Code establishing regulations for the loading and unloading of student passengers and recommend approval to the City Council for their January 25, 2000 meeting. At this time, Deputy Traffic Engineer Itagaki read the ordinance to the members of the Commission and the audience. Lt. Stu Heller stated that this ordinance is directed towards the drivers and the not the students. Commissioner Knapp would like to see this published in the Rosemead Report and have it as an insert in all the resident's trash bills through Consolidated Disposal, in addition to including this information with the existing pamphlet being produced regarding other issues concerning schools. Commissioner Knapp asked if any other city in the area are dealing with this issue Lt. Stu Heller stated that the City of West Covina is currently dealing with this issue and it seems to be working for them. He also stated that the Sheriffs Department will be drafting a letter to all the school principals authorizing them to publish the letter and they will explain the ordinance and encourage the principals make as many copies as they can and pass them out to the students. Commissioner Ruiz asked what happens when students are double parking. Deputy Robles stated that they cite the older students who is jaywalking and should know better, and it penalizes the parents of the younger students that allow their children to cross. Speaking before the Commission was: Barbara Larson 3850 N. Ellis Lane Rosemead, California 91770 Ms. Larson asked what the Sheriffs Department will be doing when the parents park across the school and walk their child across to the school. Lt. Stu Heller stated that when they are walking their children across, they are assuming that they are doing that in a safe manner, if not, then they are in violation of pedestrian outside of a crosswalk who interferes with traffic. Ms. Larson also asked about the cars that are not stopping when a school bus has their lights flashing. Deputy Robles stated that they amended that law as it pertains to unloading children in front of a school. The bus driver is no longer required to activate their red lights. It was moved by Commissioner Knapp, seconded by Commissioner Herrera, and carried unanimously to approve Ordinance No. 801 as written.